


Saved by a Tooth

by polikszena



Series: Trips to Old Hollywood [6]
Category: Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Genre: First Meeting, Gen, gk week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26016571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polikszena/pseuds/polikszena
Summary: Walking home from the dance school, eight-year-old Don Lockwood is surprised that no-one wants to beat him up today, but then he finds out the reason why.This is my take on Don Lockwood's first meeting with Cosmo Brown, made for the Favourite onscreen partner (non-romantic) prompt of the Gene Kelly Appreciation Week.
Relationships: Cosmo Brown & Don Lockwood
Series: Trips to Old Hollywood [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772395
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Saved by a Tooth

Eight-year-old Don Lockwood felt his muscles go tense as he sneaked out of the dance school. It was a bright and sunny Saturday with a light breeze in the air; ideal weather for outdoor sports. The kid hoped everyone else would be on the pitch playing football or baseball. He also wished he could be there with them, too, but his mother insisted on sending him to dance classes instead.

“You will thank me one day,” she kept saying as she dragged her son to the dance school every Saturday morning. “It’ll do you good.”

Don Lockwood was still yet to experience the positive effects of dancing classes. He only saw the negative ones so far, and they were plenty. For instance, he couldn’t play ball with his schoolmates on Saturday. Or kids were calling him names at school. Or even worse, when they found out that he danced, a new game came into fashion in the town. They called it ‘catch the sissy’, and it usually resulted Don limping back home bruised and battered, and on top of that, late from lunch. He always tried to fight back, but having to face five or six boys, all bigger and stronger than him, didn’t give him many opportunities to defend himself.

However, this Saturday was all quiet. Too quiet. Walking down the Main Street, Don was expecting them to be hiding behind trees and jump at him at the right moment, but nothing happened. What if this was his lucky day and for once in his life, he could go home safe and sound?

Then he saw them.

All screaming and shouting, while punching and kicking something on the ground. Don stopped, hoping they hadn’t noticed him, but then he realized that the thing surrounded by Ted Huntington and his gang was actually a person. They seemed to find another target for today. His brain told him to run, however, his heart was faster, and the next thing he heard was his own voice as he yelled at the bullies.

In less than a minute, he found himself surrounded by the gang, right next to the boy he was trying to save. And from then, it was the usual: a kick here, a slap there, while he was covering his head with one hand and trying to throw a punch with the other – uselessly, though. Only that he wasn’t alone this time.

“My tooth!” the other victim cried out. “Stop it! My tooth!”

The bullies normally wouldn’t have paid much attention to that, but the ten-year-old Ted Huntington, their leader saw something falling out of the boy’s palm. Something small and white: an actual tooth. Being the mayor’s son, Huntington froze at the sight. Causing bruises was one thing, but permanently damaging someone was another and he couldn’t allow that.

“They’ve had enough,” he said. “Let’s go!”

And as their leader said, the bullies were off, leaving their victims lying on the sidewalk. Don Lockwood let his arm down to take a look at the other boy: a small one with brown hair and grey eyes. He had seen him in the dance school a few times, but they had never had a class together.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’ve been better,” the other boy admitted as he tried to sit up. “You?”

“Same. How’s your tooth?”

“Fine, thanks for asking,” the boy answered, opening his palm to Don so he could see the little white tooth in it. Throwing a glance at it, he raised a brow, because it didn’t look like a freshly knocked-out tooth at all.

“I wasn’t expecting this to be working,” the other boy admitted.

“What do you mean? Didn’t they knocked your tooth out?”

The kid’s upper lip was split, but he flashed a smile at Don. “Oh no, it fell out by itself two days ago,” he told him. “I just forgot to take it out of my pocket.”

“It saved us,” Don said with a small grin.

The other boy slid the tooth back into his pocket, then held out his hand to help Don up.

“I’m Cosmo,” he introduced himself, “Cosmo Brown.”

“Don Lockwood,” he said, shaking the kid’s hand once they were both standing. “Thanks for saving me.”

“Thanks for the help,” Cosmo said.

“Couldn’t do much,” Don admitted as they began to walk.

“Well, you tried it and that’s what matters,” said the other boy, trying to sound wise, but then he shook his head and laughed it off. “At least my mom says so.”

“Mine says ‘Dignity. Always dignity,’” Don told him, but glancing at their dirty clothes and fresh bruises, they didn’t look like they had any. It seemed Cosmo was thinking about the same thing, because when their eyes met, they both started laughing.


End file.
